Resilience and academic achievement among rural adolescents at-risk: Role of self-regulation and attachment style

Pages:260-266
Narayanan Annalakshmi (Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu)

Adolescents from low-income rural families are confronted with several factors in their everyday life that challenge their adaptation. They are deprived of the resources they require for healthy development. The present study attempted to identify the predictors of resilience and academic achievement among rural adolescent students at-risk. An initial sample of 414 adolescents (Males= 220; Females=194) was recruited from seventh and eighth standard of three Government schools located in rural areas in Coimbatore. A sample of 208 (Males= 112; Females=96) adolescents who scored high on internalizing/externalizing problems was screened-in for the study. The participants completed self-report measures of internalizing and externalizing problems, meta-cognitive awareness, self-regulation, experience in close relationships, and resilience. Regression analysis carried out to identify the best predictors of resilience, and academic achievement showed interesting results. Self-regulation was the single predictor of resilience. Self-regulation positively and attachment avoidance negatively predicted academic achievement. The secure attachment style also appears to be critical for promoting social and cultural capital among adolescents at-risk. Interventions with at-risk adolescents may focus on promoting self-regulation and secure attachment.